Downspout bracket construction



Jan. 16

H. E. METSKER DOWNSPOUT BRACKET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb, 4' 6 Q m l fi v B W F mm m3 & E

[fa/ BY ATTORN United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Downspout bracket construction for mounting downspouts to walls having a U-shaped body and securing means at each end'of the U-legs, an elongated strap attached at one end to one of the securing means and surrounding the downspout and attached at the other end i to the other securing means. The second securing means includes a toggle lever construction which is movable to impart tension on the strap to securely retain the downspout.

My invention relates generally to improvements in downspout bracket constructions, and more specifically, in improvements in downspout brackets of the type used most frequently for mounting roof drainage spouts along the sidewalls of homes and buildings.

Many prior forms of downspout brackets have been provided, both of extremely simple and extremely complicated form. For instance, simple forms of downspout brackets have been used in which some form of mounting means, such as a spike, will be inserted in the sidewall of a home or building, and a U-shaped bracket having hooks on the end portions thereof is attached to this mounting means. The downspout is received in this U-shaped bracket and merely a wire is wrapped around the bracket hooks and outwardly around the downspout, with the wire being tensioned by twisting.

Various other more complicated downspout brackets have been used including different forms of hinge con nections. In the case of these more complicated brackets, the mounting means is secured to the sidewall of the home or building, the bracket hingedly opened to receive the downspout therein, and the bracket then hingedly closed and secured.

One of the principal dilficulties with all of these prior downspout bracket constructions is that most of them are unsightly when finally placed in the closed securing position, so as to destroy the aesthetic appeal of the overall structure. Furthermore, many of these prior downspout bracket constructions are preplanned for a single use, so that the brackets may not be disengaged from the downspout when it is desired to remove the downspout from the structure, such as for painting, drain cleaning and other types of maintenance required from time to time.

Still further, many of these prior constructions of downspout brackets are designed merely for one size of downspout. Thus, when other sizes of downspouts are encountered, either the downspout is not securely held, or a multiplicity of sizes of brackets are required, greatly adding to the expense of providing such brackets.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide a downspout bracket construction of virtually universal size for receiving and retaining various sizes of downspouts; which securely retains the downspout therein and adjacent a home or building sidewall regard less of the size of the downspout within reasonable size limits; which, once mounted on the sidewall of the home or building, may be quickly and easily manipulated for 3,363,865 Patented Jan. 16, 1958 retaining a downspout in proper position; which may be quickly and easily manipulated at any time for releasing the downspout thusly held during usual maintenance operations; and which, despite the foregoing clear advantages, may be provided at a relatively low manufacturing cost, and is simple and convenient to use.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which-illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

In general terms, the downspout bracket construction of the present invention may be stated as including a generally U-shaped bracket having mounting means thereon, such as the usual spike, for mounting the bracket on the sidewall of a home or building, or other forms of structures; an elongated flexible holding means, preferably in the form of a flat metallic strap, having end portions; first securing means for securing one end portion of the hold ing means to one of the leg portions of the U-shaped bracket, preferably in the form of a pair of spaced slots receiving the holding means one end portion therethrough and doubled back on the holding means; second securing means for securing the other end portion of the holding means to the other leg portion of the U-shaped bracket, preferably in the form of a slotted securing member movably mounted adjacent said other bracket leg portion; and tensioning means operably connected to the second securing means, preferably in the form of a selectively operable toggle lever arrangement, for selectively moving the second securing means in a direction to tension the holding means and retain said holding means in a position snugly around a downspout received between the U-shaped bracket leg portions and against the U-shaped bracket base portion.

By way of example, an embodiment of the improved downspout bracket construction of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the embodiment of the downspout bracket construction of the present invention in a released position and ready for the reception of a downspout therein;

FIG. 2, a fragmentary front elevation, part in section, showing a downspout received in the bracket and the second securing means having received the other end of the elongated flexible holding means and being ready for the operation of the tensioning means; and

FIG. 3, a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the tensioning means in final tensioning position.

As shown in the drawings, the embodiment of the downspout bracket construction illustrated includes mounting means in the form of the spike 10 attached intermediate the base portion 11 of a generally U-shaped bracket 12. The bracket 12 is also formed with the spaced, generally parallel leg portions 13 and 14, preferably formed integrally with the base portion 11, so that bracket 12 may be formed as one piece.

Leg portion 13 is provided with securing means in the form of the spaced parallel slots 15 and 16, and these slots are positioned for receiving an end portion of the elongated flexible holding means in the form of the flexible metallic strap 18. Thus, this one end portion 17 of the strap 18 may be threaded from inwardly of the inner side of the bracket leg portion 13, outwardly through the leg portion slot 15, along the the outer side of the leg portion 13, inwardly through the leg portion slot 16, and then reversely back along and abutting the main part of the strap 18, so as to secure this one end of the strap to the bracket leg portion 13.

Leg portion 14 is provided with securing means in the form of the U-shaped, preferably wire, member 19 having the base portion 2% and leg portions 21 and 22, so as to form the securing slot 23. As shown, the terminal end 24 of the bracket leg portion 14 is reversely formed so as to be generally U-shaped in cross-section. A slot 25 is formed therethrough slidably movably receiving the base portion 20 and the connected parts of the leg portions 21 and 22 of the wire member 19 extending outwardly therefrom, so that the slot 23 of the wire member 19 is exposed outwardly of the terminal end 24 of the bracket leg portion 14.

The extreme ends of the wire member leg portions 21 and 22 are pivotally received through the openings 26 of the tensioning means in the form of a selectively operable toggle lever 27. As shown, the toggle lever 27 is pivoted intermediate the ends thereof through a pivot pin 2% connected through a projecting mounting bar 29 secured to the outer side of the bracket leg portion 1 1 through a mounting plate 30. The openings 26 pivotally receiving the extreme ends of the wire member leg portions 21 and 22 are positioned at one end of toggle lever 27 and the other end of this toggle lever is formed as a manipulating handle 31.

It may be seen, due to the relative positions of the pivotal openings 26 and the pivot pin 28 of toggle lever 27, that when this toggle lever is in the position shown in FIG. 1 projecting outwardly from the bracket leg portion 14, the wire member 19 extends a maximum distance through the slot 25 of the leg portion end 24. When, however, toggle lever 27 is pivoted relative to the leg portion 14 to the position with the handle 31 thereof against the leg portion end 24, as shown in FIG. 3, the wire member 19 is drawn inwardly a predetermined distance through the leg portion slot 25.

In the first non-tensioning position of the toggle lever 27 and wire member 19, the slot 23 of the wire member is exposed outwardly of the leg portion end 24 since the wire member base portion 20 is outwardly of this leg portion end as shown in FIG. 1. On the other hand, when the toggle member 27 and wire member 19 are in the tensioning position, the wire member 19, as well as the base portion thereof, have been drawn fully inwardly of the bracket leg portion end 24 within the slot 25 as shown in FIG. 3.

Furthermore, in the typical toggle arrangement of the wire member 27, it is seen that when the toggle lever is in non-tensioning position, the pivotal connection between the toggle member and the wire member is spaced inwardly from the pivotal connection of the toggle member to the bracket leg portion 14, as shown in FIG. 2. When the toggle member 27 is pivoted into tensioning position, the pivotal connection between the wire member 19 and the toggle lever moves outwardly past the pivotal connection of the toggle lever to the bracket leg portion 14. Thus, with a tensioning force being exerted on the wire member 19, as by the strap 18, this wire member, when the toggle lever 27 is in tensioning position, will force the toggle lever handle 31 tightly against the bracket leg portion 14- so as to lock this toggle lever in this tensioning position.

Thus, after the one end of the strap 18 has been secured to the bracket leg portion 13, as previously described and shown in FIG. 1, the downspout 32 may be received in the bracket 12 between leg portions 13 and 14 and against the base portion 11, as shown in FIG. 2. In view of the particular formation of the strap end portion 17 being reversely bent against itself as previously described, the downspout 32 will bear against this strap end portion and prevent disengagement thereof from the bracket leg portion 13.

The other end portion 33 of strap 18 may then be formed over the exposed side of the downspout 32 and may be received through the slot 23 of the wire member 19, being partially reversely bent as shown in FIG. 2 so as to be secured to the wire member 19. Finally, the toggle member 27 may be moved from the non-tensioning position shown in FIG. 2 to the tensioning position shown in FIG. 3, drawing the wire member 19 inwardly through the slot 25 in the leg portion end 24 and, at the same time, drawing the other strap end portion 33 through this slot, thereby tensioning strap 18 outwardly around the downspout 32 and fastening the downspout securely in the bracket 12.

As previously pointed out, when the toggle lever 27 is in this tensioning position, the openings 26 pivotally receiving the extreme ends of the wire member leg portions 21 and 22 have moved from inwardly of the pivot pin 28 to outwardly thereof, so as to tension lock the toggle lever handle 31 against the end 24 of the bracket leg portion 14. This thereby retains the tensioning of the strap 18 without force being maintained against this toggle lever handle 31.

To complete the tensioning operation, it is preferred to finally bend the projecting part of the strap end portion 33 over the toggle lever handle 31, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, in order to insure against accidental release of this toggle lever 27.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the invention, the construction, operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby, the new and useful construction and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Downspout bracket construction for mounting downspouts and the like including a generally U-shaped bracket having a base portion and spaced upstanding leg portions, mounting means operably connected to the bracket for mounting the bracket adjacent a surface, an elongated flexible holding means having terminal end portions, first securing means operably connected to one of the bracket bracket leg portion having an endwise slot formed thereportions to said one bracket leg portion, second securing means operably connected to the other of the bracket leg portions for receiving the other of the holding means end portions with the holding means extending between the bracket leg portions and around a downspout positioned between said bracket leg portions and against the bracket base portion, tensioning means operably connected to the second securing means for selectively moving the second securing means in a direction to lengthwise tension the holding means snugly around the downspout, said other bracket leg portion having an endwise slot formed therethrough, said second securing means extending through said endwise slot and forming a second slot, the holding means end portion extending through the second slot and engaging the second securing means, the tensioning means operably connected to the second securing member for sliding movement of the second securing member in the slot, and for retaining the second securing member in a moved position, and the securing member and tensioning means drawing the holding means in a doubled configuration into the bracket leg portion slot to retain the holding means other end portion.

2. Downspout bracket construction as defined in claim 1 in which said first securing means includes a pair of spaced slots formed through said one bracket leg portion and in Which said holding means one end portion extends through said spaced slots and engages said one bracltet leg portion.

3. Downspout bracket construction as defined in claim 1 in Which said tensioning means includes a toggle lever pivotally connected to the other bracket leg portion and connected to the second securing member, the toggle lever being movable from a non-tensioned position to a locked 10 position, and the toggle lever retaining the second securing means and the holding means in tensioned position when in the locked position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 1/1948 Denmark. 7/1926 Great Britain.

RGY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner. 

